AMR Seattle

[sjukrabilalfur]

I'm starting with AMR Seattle on June 8th. Can anyone tell me a little more about what to expect as a full-timer? What sort of overtime if any do you make? Do you get paid anything like a differential for running 911 calls or VA transports?

Primarily I'm wondering about a ) hours and b ) pay (i.e., if you're basically lucky to just make the hourly or if you get a bump for certain call-types, or overtime).

 

[LACoGurneyjockey]

@DEmedic might be able to help...

 

[sjukrabilalfur]

@DEmedic might be able to help...

Thanks for that.

I did some hunting around but a lot of the information out there seems to be a little out of date by a couple of years, and my understanding is that a few things have changed with the operation over the last 3 years or so.

 

[NomadicMedic]

I didn't work for AMR in Seattle, I did my time at TriMed. But it's typical SSM. Expect to run your balls off. I have some friends still working there, simply biding time til they get that elusive fire job.

 

[sjukrabilalfur]

I didn't work for AMR in Seattle, I did my time ar TriMed. But it's typical SSM. Expect to run your balls off. I have some friends still working there, simply biding time til they get that elusive fire job.

If it's typical SSM of the sort that I'm used to, it sounds like I can expect to get late-tripped fairly regularly. This would be the first time in a while that I'd welcome the OT. So oddly, I'm glad to hear that.

 

[NomadicMedic]

Yep. A buddy of mine was just telling me that he hadn't gotten out on time in weeks. And FYI, in Seattle there's a VA, Harborview the level 1 trauma center and hospitals on every corner. So, you won't get many LD transports but you will run BLS 911 like a maniac if you're downtown. Expect a fair mix of IFT/dialysis and 911. They keep the UHU of those trucks high. I'm guessing you're a basic?

 

[NomadicMedic]

As an aside: this is the real time fire dispatch for Seattle.

https://data.seattle.gov/Public-Safety/Seattle-Real-Time-Fire-911-Calls/kzjm-xkqj/alt

When I tell you it's freakin' busy, I mean it.

AMR does all the BLS transports, after a patient is evaluated by an SFD EMT (or a medic, if its dispatched ALS) AMR scrambles to stage trucks at EVERY call. They are not allowed to respond until SFD asks for an ambulance via radio. Then the AMR truck, which has been idling around the corner, screams up, lights and sirens, to take the BLS patient to the ED.

It's a very wasteful system. A fire engine or aid car (a Seattle fire ambulance that doesn't transport), maybe a medic unit and an AMR BLS truck on every call.

 

[RocketMedic]

That sounds maddeningly stupid. Up for a move to Texas?

 

[sjukrabilalfur]

Yep. A buddy of mine was just telling me that he hadn't gotten out on time in weeks. And FYI, in Seattle there's a VA, Harborview the level 1 trauma center and hospitals on every corner. So, you won't get many LD transports but you will run BLS 911 like a maniac if you're downtown. Expect a fair mix of IFT/dialysis and 911. They keep the UHU of those trucks high. I'm guessing you're a basic?

Yep! I'll be running basic. I run a lot of BLS 911 calls in the operation I'm leaving, so it'll be interesting to see how my experience transfers into a new city. As for the hybrid setup with Fire/Medic One responding at the same time, it sounds a lot like what I've experienced where I'm at now as well. We take a lot of handoffs from our municipal ALS, and essentially run the same call a second time.

 

[NomadicMedic]

good luck, have fun... And remember, fire runs the show.

 

[Drax]

Pretty sure hours are like every where else in the metropolitan area. 12s and 24s. Firefighter rotations and other sorts I'm sure. They might even have 8 hour cars for Seattle.

Funny they have to stage. I can totally visualize that lol.

 

[PotatoMedic]

Seattle has a lot of 8 hour shifts. And 12 hour shifts they have a good handful of too. I think they got rid of most if not all the 24's.